By now I am sure you realize a few things about me. I never have "A Plan", I am not the one you want navigating your trip out of familiar territory, and I would do just about any ridiculous thing to get a darn ol' milk cow. You would be right!!! It was a relief to see that farm again and pull up to that red barn that held my dear milk cow. We backed in and she even loaded herself into the loading gate. She was ready to go.
We exchanged money and the short version of our long trip. The young man selling her got a few chuckles later that afternoon I am sure. She loaded with no problem. Hopped right into the trailer just like she was ready to go home with me. My dad was commenting on what a beautiful cow she was. I was feeling accomplished from the flattery my dad was sending my way. I think it was at that moment I really realized just how BIG she was. She looked out over the top of the gate at me and I looked at the man again. "She wouldn't jump outta that trailer would she?" I asked. He looked at me sideways, "Well she may trample you when she comes out of the trailer after a 3 hour ride, but she can't jump out." Then he laughs loudly....I sheepishly grin because I feel like a fool for even pondering such an event. Oh if I had only known what the next few hours would bring.
We said our "goodbyes" and were on our way. We wanted to make NO stops on the way home if we could help it. The trip home was uneventful and I was glad. I was concerned because she was 4 months bred so a pregnant cow in a hot trailer=not a happy cow. I soon found out just how, "Not Happy" she was.
About and hour from home the "middle" started asking if we could stop...he needed to potty. I told him there were some bottles in the back of the truck to use, that we were NOT stopping till we got home. As we neared our exit he became insistent that we stop. I held to my conviction that we would not. We pulled into the driveway around 5 pm. Tired, thirsty, in need of a bathroom, cramped legs.....my dad gets out to help me back up to the gate. We made it!!!! I look in the rearview mirror to see him motioning me back....then stop....then back....then stop, and then his face contorted in such a manner I opened the door to ask the problem only to see the front half of my cow coming out of the trailer......3....feet...from....the...gate....!!!! So very, very close. I slammed on the brakes and she did a nose dive onto the ground. Luckily she got right back up...I was so relieved she was ok that I didn't realize the problem of her not being inside the gate. She was free and there was school traffic running up and down our road from the middle school close by.
She headed into the woods and over to my dad's field. We followed and coaxed her with food, I begged and prayed and almost cried. The school traffic was enjoying the scenery of a large milk cow in the middle of an unfenced property. We almost drove her back home and then she made a run for it. She went a half mile down the road through the woods...in which I followed. She then ran into the road and we followed...Thinking, praying, what do we do. Then I saw a house that belongs to a friend and remembered he has a fenced in yard. We turned her into his drive way and into his backyard where she stayed till a farmer friend of ours came and helped us load her. We toted her back home and got her in the fence.
This was one of those days where you just wish you lived in the city and bought all your food from the grocery store. I was sure my dad, or myself would have a heart attack that night after all we had been through that day. But we all lived another day. I know we provided many people with laughs that day, and days later.... ourselves too. My only laugh to have that day was that we did not stop at a gas station to let him potty. She would have barreled over the door and been on the loose somewhere in a town we were unfamiliar with. We decided we would have just left her and cut our losses....I wanted to call the young man just to tell him how very wrong he was about her jumping out, but I just didn't want him to have any more laughs at my expense.
Why do this to ourselves? Some of you may wonder what in the world would possess a person to live the life we live. I will try to cover that in my next few blogs. But mainly it is my love of family, life, nature, and animals. But most importantly my love of God and the beautiful creation He gave us in this blessed land we call home. I look back at that day now and realize that homesteading is coupled hand in hand with my Creator who spurs me onto new and different things and experiences. The reality of it, though it is tough and sometimes difficult it builds bonds with the ones we love and memories that can never be taken away.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Sunday, May 25, 2014
The Cattle Drive Part 2
Our journey began very early. We were set in dad's truck and a small horse trailer borrowed from a friend. Immediately into our trek we decided that we would use my dad's Garmin gps to guide us there. My husband and I used his iPhone maps to get us there only days before and it was a very easy route. I on the other hand am not so handy at navigating iPhone maps yet.
The first shock came when we made the wrong exit 45 minutes into the trip. As I began to panic my dad assured me it was no big deal we would turn around. However, the next exit was a 25 minute drive. (This should have been the first clue all would not go as planned.)
I calculated our trip taking around 7-8 hours at the most. My dad has Parkinson's so I knew the faster we could make the trip the better for him, myself and the cow. Three hours there, stop for lunch and four or five hours at the most coming home, pulling a big cow SLOWLY!
Oh where was I .....sorry.....I pulled up the address of our destination, while driving. It took us off the main interstate across what looked like a harmless side road. In 20 minutes we were about a half mile in the sky looking down off the side of a cliff....gulp.....(This was the second sign trouble was looming)...We decided to stop so I could get a "good" look at the phone. Now, anyone who knows anything about gps, knows it needs to be updated. It chirped its cheerful "RECALCULATING" chant at me for the next 80-100 miles. Because it has not had a map update for many, many, many years.
We head on down the road only to find that this glorious trip up the mountain can only end by going down that same steep mountain. The brake pads on my dad's truck were smoking. My middle child chatting away while dad held onto the handles above his head, and I held onto the seat with my "seat." The tires squealed as we came off the mountain pulling that trailer. Only by the grace of God was it empty and not carrying my cow.
At the bottom of the hill, drenched in sweat, with smoking breaks, 3 hours after our initial departure time, we finally arrive in Scottsboro. I was familiar with going through the town when hubby and I had been there days before and realized how far behind schedule we really were. After getting back on familiar ground for about 30 minutes I made my 3rd mistake....
I should have learned my lesson and ignored that Garmin, but the constant "recalculating" coming from that black box convinced me to take ANOTHER wrong exit. This landed us going through the major part of town and I finally conceded and called the owner of the cow. We are going to be late...like not fifteen minutes..... but probably two hours. We stopped an hour later in town for food and then stopped to refuel. This was the first time my dad had showed any loss of patience for our father/daughter trip to get a milk cow.
I got out to pump gas and wouldn't ya know....it was one of those pumps where you pump and pump and it comes out one drop at a time. I laugh as I write this.....you just had to be there. Ten minutes into this my dad yells out the truck door. "Hey, you almost done?" I stick my head back through the door. I look at my sweet daddy...."I will be when the truck fills up." (It took 15 minutes to pump 15 gallons of gas.....no joke.)
We finally arrive and come in the back road to the farm. Finally, the day can't get any worse...could it??? Stay tuned for part 3....
The first shock came when we made the wrong exit 45 minutes into the trip. As I began to panic my dad assured me it was no big deal we would turn around. However, the next exit was a 25 minute drive. (This should have been the first clue all would not go as planned.)
I calculated our trip taking around 7-8 hours at the most. My dad has Parkinson's so I knew the faster we could make the trip the better for him, myself and the cow. Three hours there, stop for lunch and four or five hours at the most coming home, pulling a big cow SLOWLY!
Oh where was I .....sorry.....I pulled up the address of our destination, while driving. It took us off the main interstate across what looked like a harmless side road. In 20 minutes we were about a half mile in the sky looking down off the side of a cliff....gulp.....(This was the second sign trouble was looming)...We decided to stop so I could get a "good" look at the phone. Now, anyone who knows anything about gps, knows it needs to be updated. It chirped its cheerful "RECALCULATING" chant at me for the next 80-100 miles. Because it has not had a map update for many, many, many years.
We head on down the road only to find that this glorious trip up the mountain can only end by going down that same steep mountain. The brake pads on my dad's truck were smoking. My middle child chatting away while dad held onto the handles above his head, and I held onto the seat with my "seat." The tires squealed as we came off the mountain pulling that trailer. Only by the grace of God was it empty and not carrying my cow.
At the bottom of the hill, drenched in sweat, with smoking breaks, 3 hours after our initial departure time, we finally arrive in Scottsboro. I was familiar with going through the town when hubby and I had been there days before and realized how far behind schedule we really were. After getting back on familiar ground for about 30 minutes I made my 3rd mistake....
I should have learned my lesson and ignored that Garmin, but the constant "recalculating" coming from that black box convinced me to take ANOTHER wrong exit. This landed us going through the major part of town and I finally conceded and called the owner of the cow. We are going to be late...like not fifteen minutes..... but probably two hours. We stopped an hour later in town for food and then stopped to refuel. This was the first time my dad had showed any loss of patience for our father/daughter trip to get a milk cow.
I got out to pump gas and wouldn't ya know....it was one of those pumps where you pump and pump and it comes out one drop at a time. I laugh as I write this.....you just had to be there. Ten minutes into this my dad yells out the truck door. "Hey, you almost done?" I stick my head back through the door. I look at my sweet daddy...."I will be when the truck fills up." (It took 15 minutes to pump 15 gallons of gas.....no joke.)
We finally arrive and come in the back road to the farm. Finally, the day can't get any worse...could it??? Stay tuned for part 3....
Friday, May 23, 2014
The Cattle Drive Part 1
My long awaited journey to a family milk cow ended about a month ago. I am just now here to tell the "story" of her arrival. I have wanted a milk cow for at least 3 years. I have dreamed about it, planned for it. I was so desperate that I finally decided to sell our 3 steers to get her.
I was in the process of raising our own dairy heifer, but was told recently by a knowledgeable farmer she would not breed till fall. I was hoping for a spring breed so I would have milk by end of the year. This was devastating news to me. I needed to regroup and make a decision on what to do. We were planning to take a steer to slaughter at the beginning of May. I could trade him? The thoughts began to roll. I began searching for a perfect fit for our small farm. It would be hard to find one local of course. Not many people homestead here, and if they do it is mostly goats. The few who do breed or raise Jerseys want a FORTUNE for them.
I began to look at what would make the proper family milk cow. Good lactation, healthy, not too thin, not too fat. I wanted a sound bag and preferably good in all 4 quarters. Looks is always a plus too since you have to live with the animal.. I first saw her and thought what a beautiful cow. The hubby and I traveled the 3 hour trip to look her over and decided she would be a perfect fit. She was very interested in us and seemed pleased to be in our company. It was decided that we would make a trade of our 3 steer of different sizes for the milk cow.
After we got home, we realized we would have to take those 3 steer on a very long trip and quickly found someone to buy them for the amount of our cow. They were sold and we headed out to make our purchase. My father, my middle son, and me. Little did I know the madness that would ensue over the course of that day. It probably turned into the most interesting and tiring day of my life thus far. Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow.
I was in the process of raising our own dairy heifer, but was told recently by a knowledgeable farmer she would not breed till fall. I was hoping for a spring breed so I would have milk by end of the year. This was devastating news to me. I needed to regroup and make a decision on what to do. We were planning to take a steer to slaughter at the beginning of May. I could trade him? The thoughts began to roll. I began searching for a perfect fit for our small farm. It would be hard to find one local of course. Not many people homestead here, and if they do it is mostly goats. The few who do breed or raise Jerseys want a FORTUNE for them.
I began to look at what would make the proper family milk cow. Good lactation, healthy, not too thin, not too fat. I wanted a sound bag and preferably good in all 4 quarters. Looks is always a plus too since you have to live with the animal.. I first saw her and thought what a beautiful cow. The hubby and I traveled the 3 hour trip to look her over and decided she would be a perfect fit. She was very interested in us and seemed pleased to be in our company. It was decided that we would make a trade of our 3 steer of different sizes for the milk cow.
After we got home, we realized we would have to take those 3 steer on a very long trip and quickly found someone to buy them for the amount of our cow. They were sold and we headed out to make our purchase. My father, my middle son, and me. Little did I know the madness that would ensue over the course of that day. It probably turned into the most interesting and tiring day of my life thus far. Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Maple Sugaring in Tennessee???
I wrote this back in January but am now just getting around to posting it. Keep this in mind while you read. Hope you enjoy!!!!
It has been a while since I blogged and let me tell you why. Here in Tennessee winters are mild and wet. We usually experience very few temps below 30 degrees. It has, however, been an unseasonably cold winter this year. We just had the largest accumulation of snow since December 2010. A whole 2 inches (snickering), it did however shut down schools for several days and make road travel very treacherous for many. Luckily, since we homeschool we just enjoyed the beauty of it all and continued to do school(the downer for being homeschooled.)
Now to the topic at hand. Maple Syrup.....MMMMmmm! Can't you just see yourself sitting down to a nice pile of hot pancakes with butter and pour your very own homemade maple syrup all over them? I began thinking of "sugaring" last fall after reading several blogs about ladies and men who sugar in Virginia. It got me thinking...Can I do that here? I began researching on the internet for any and all articles, blogs, books, I could find about sugaring in the south. Let me tell you, there isn't much out there. I did come across a article in a paper close to home and there it was in all its glory staring me in the face. YES!!! Someone has done it, it is possible.
The first thing first, you must have trees that can be tapped. To my amazement Maples are not the only sap producing trees. Sweet Birch, walnut, sycamore and hickory are a few of the other species of trees that produce enough sugar content in the sap to use. So in late fall before all the leaves fell off the trees we set out to mark them. We used white spray paint, but I suppose you could use orange tape. You just need to know what kind of trees you have. They also need to have adequate sunlight so they heat up nicely and you have a good sap flow.
I checked several websites that sell the equipment and came across one on Amazon that I liked. It is a basic plastic spile(this is what the sap drips out of the tree from) and some tubing that fits onto the end of the spile and goes into your collection bucket. You will probably have to buy the spiles and the tubes. There are other metal spiles that a bucket hangs on, but in my opinion lets in too much debris...think clean sap. So with my spiles, tubes, several 5 gallon buckets, a drill, hammer, and 5/16" drill bit we took to the woods.
My kit came with 10 spiles. Rule of thumb is 1 spile per tree unless they are very large then you may use 2 or even 3 on a very large tree. I don't remember exact diameter of tree, but you can do that research on your own. We put out our taps and checked that afternoon....nada....big goose egg!! I almost wanted to cry. I returned to the websites I found most helpful and discovered there is a temperature requirement. It has to be below freezing nights with warm daytime temps in the 50's preferably. Well, duh....we had a warm spell so no wonder. I tried to wait patiently and next morning I ran down to check after my morning chores. There is was....in its simplest form.....SAP! I was giddy. I ran back to the house and got a bucket, (mind you it was only a cup). I checked the rest of my trees and they were all dry except one. So out of 6 trees tapped I only had 2 producing. What??? I was totally confused. What was I doing wrong?? I pondered for days...like 5 before my dad, who had been watching me, encouraged me to tap trees in a different area of our property.
Reluctantly I agreed and he and I sat off the next afternoon in a tapping frenzy. The weather had been just what all the sites said was ideal, so with nothing more that 2 cups a day from my trees we moved to the woods behind his house. I drilled the hole at an angle and a little deeper and before I could say anything the sap began to flow. We just looked at each other in amazement and I think I even danced a little jig. He is all about quantity so he wanted to tap the biggest trees we had and we did. We also tapped a close friend of my dad's that lives up the street from us and had great success there too! That afternoon there was a considerable amount about 2 gallons and so I began the boil.
Now, if any of you know the ratio of sap to syrup, you know that boiling my 2 gallons along with the gallon and half I already had, only gave me about a fourth of a cup of syrup. But I was simply amazed with the process and the change. It turns to a beautiful amber color and the smell is like nothing else. The taste is the sweetest, most concentrated you have ever put in you mouth and it tastes just like it should....sweet victory.....I had done it. I was so proud of myself and wanted to get my hands on more....only the rate it was coming was not fast enough for me.
Then cue the snow storm I was talking of earlier. After the 2nd day we were able to get out on the roads and I traveled to our friend's first and what I saw when I came down the hill almost made me faint, the buckets were full and spilling over on the ground. I raced back home because I did not have anything big enough to get 2 and a half gallons in. Then checked my dads and the same story second verse! I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. The seven-year-old said to me, "MOM WE ARE SO RICH!" Yes son, in sap, we sure are!! I think he saw my excitement and it rubbed of on him.
The buckets have been running over every day since, they did slow some today but another freeze is coming so I am expecting another rush after it again. I have boiled down over 60 gallons of sap with a gallon and 2 quarts to show for it. I took a break today but will be back at it tomorrow. This, for me, is like anything else I decided to try, several people thought I was out of my mind...including hubby, and he would tell you that. I need to try something with my hands and then if it doesn't work you might convince me that it can't be done. Now as I sit here writing this I have a batch cooking on the front porch. The reality is, in homesteading, nothing comes easy and making maple syrup certainly is no exception!!!
It has been a while since I blogged and let me tell you why. Here in Tennessee winters are mild and wet. We usually experience very few temps below 30 degrees. It has, however, been an unseasonably cold winter this year. We just had the largest accumulation of snow since December 2010. A whole 2 inches (snickering), it did however shut down schools for several days and make road travel very treacherous for many. Luckily, since we homeschool we just enjoyed the beauty of it all and continued to do school(the downer for being homeschooled.)
Now to the topic at hand. Maple Syrup.....MMMMmmm! Can't you just see yourself sitting down to a nice pile of hot pancakes with butter and pour your very own homemade maple syrup all over them? I began thinking of "sugaring" last fall after reading several blogs about ladies and men who sugar in Virginia. It got me thinking...Can I do that here? I began researching on the internet for any and all articles, blogs, books, I could find about sugaring in the south. Let me tell you, there isn't much out there. I did come across a article in a paper close to home and there it was in all its glory staring me in the face. YES!!! Someone has done it, it is possible.
The first thing first, you must have trees that can be tapped. To my amazement Maples are not the only sap producing trees. Sweet Birch, walnut, sycamore and hickory are a few of the other species of trees that produce enough sugar content in the sap to use. So in late fall before all the leaves fell off the trees we set out to mark them. We used white spray paint, but I suppose you could use orange tape. You just need to know what kind of trees you have. They also need to have adequate sunlight so they heat up nicely and you have a good sap flow.
I checked several websites that sell the equipment and came across one on Amazon that I liked. It is a basic plastic spile(this is what the sap drips out of the tree from) and some tubing that fits onto the end of the spile and goes into your collection bucket. You will probably have to buy the spiles and the tubes. There are other metal spiles that a bucket hangs on, but in my opinion lets in too much debris...think clean sap. So with my spiles, tubes, several 5 gallon buckets, a drill, hammer, and 5/16" drill bit we took to the woods.
My kit came with 10 spiles. Rule of thumb is 1 spile per tree unless they are very large then you may use 2 or even 3 on a very large tree. I don't remember exact diameter of tree, but you can do that research on your own. We put out our taps and checked that afternoon....nada....big goose egg!! I almost wanted to cry. I returned to the websites I found most helpful and discovered there is a temperature requirement. It has to be below freezing nights with warm daytime temps in the 50's preferably. Well, duh....we had a warm spell so no wonder. I tried to wait patiently and next morning I ran down to check after my morning chores. There is was....in its simplest form.....SAP! I was giddy. I ran back to the house and got a bucket, (mind you it was only a cup). I checked the rest of my trees and they were all dry except one. So out of 6 trees tapped I only had 2 producing. What??? I was totally confused. What was I doing wrong?? I pondered for days...like 5 before my dad, who had been watching me, encouraged me to tap trees in a different area of our property.
Reluctantly I agreed and he and I sat off the next afternoon in a tapping frenzy. The weather had been just what all the sites said was ideal, so with nothing more that 2 cups a day from my trees we moved to the woods behind his house. I drilled the hole at an angle and a little deeper and before I could say anything the sap began to flow. We just looked at each other in amazement and I think I even danced a little jig. He is all about quantity so he wanted to tap the biggest trees we had and we did. We also tapped a close friend of my dad's that lives up the street from us and had great success there too! That afternoon there was a considerable amount about 2 gallons and so I began the boil.
Now, if any of you know the ratio of sap to syrup, you know that boiling my 2 gallons along with the gallon and half I already had, only gave me about a fourth of a cup of syrup. But I was simply amazed with the process and the change. It turns to a beautiful amber color and the smell is like nothing else. The taste is the sweetest, most concentrated you have ever put in you mouth and it tastes just like it should....sweet victory.....I had done it. I was so proud of myself and wanted to get my hands on more....only the rate it was coming was not fast enough for me.
Then cue the snow storm I was talking of earlier. After the 2nd day we were able to get out on the roads and I traveled to our friend's first and what I saw when I came down the hill almost made me faint, the buckets were full and spilling over on the ground. I raced back home because I did not have anything big enough to get 2 and a half gallons in. Then checked my dads and the same story second verse! I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. The seven-year-old said to me, "MOM WE ARE SO RICH!" Yes son, in sap, we sure are!! I think he saw my excitement and it rubbed of on him.
The buckets have been running over every day since, they did slow some today but another freeze is coming so I am expecting another rush after it again. I have boiled down over 60 gallons of sap with a gallon and 2 quarts to show for it. I took a break today but will be back at it tomorrow. This, for me, is like anything else I decided to try, several people thought I was out of my mind...including hubby, and he would tell you that. I need to try something with my hands and then if it doesn't work you might convince me that it can't be done. Now as I sit here writing this I have a batch cooking on the front porch. The reality is, in homesteading, nothing comes easy and making maple syrup certainly is no exception!!!
Monday, December 9, 2013
More Rain for the Christmas Season!
So, I am not doing well keeping up my blog site. "What was I thinking?" I can tell you, I thought this would be an easy, relaxing thing to do in the afternoons when the kids hit the bed and my hubby was busy. I did not realize, however, that it requires a LOT of maintenance on my part to keep up with. It is the 10th of December and no post for November and well, it is not looking real good for December.
Truth be told I want to share with others how easy and rewarding homesteading can be. It does take a chunk out of your time. We have a new Jersey bull calf we are bottle feeding and the rain, rain, rain will not go away. It means that animals that usually love the open field are very unhappy. We added a jenny to our pasture to help with coyotes. She came to us totally afraid of humans so we have been working with her also. In addition to our usual chores.
November was very busy, my hubby and I both share a birthday in November along with one of our boys, my brother and both of my sister-in-laws. There is Thanksgiving to consider too. We did just as usual, had my hubs family over on a Sunday afternoon and Thanksgiving lunch at my parents.
We have had a terrible stomach bug that has been passed through just about everyone in the house and we are saying prayers of praise for those who have not had it. Hosted a Ladies Cookie Swap here last Saturday too. I know there are no pictures for todays post, but I will try to get some on here of what our decorated farm home looks like for Christmas. I do love to decorate for the holidays so I would like to share that with you.
My garden is filled.....with hay and cow manure. There are no veggies left now. We plowed up the last and it has become the catch area for all things stinky till spring. LOL!!! It makes for great fertilizer and helps put back some of the natural nutrients needed for good veggies next summer. I am continuing to milk my goat till February then I will freshen both of my dairy goats at the same time to minimize having to take care of kids on and off. I enjoy babies, but you never know what will happen with them. Hoping my newest girl will be a good first-time momma.
Well, I am listening to thunder.....that is right folks, thunder....in Tennessee, in December. It seems an appropriate time to get in bed and enjoy the sounds of rain on the windows and thunder in the distance. It is a heavenly sound that reminds me of spring and flowers bouncing back to life after a cold winter. But, the reality is spring is far away and so are the beautiful colors it brings. SO off to dream of a warmer, less rainy time creeping months away from now.
Truth be told I want to share with others how easy and rewarding homesteading can be. It does take a chunk out of your time. We have a new Jersey bull calf we are bottle feeding and the rain, rain, rain will not go away. It means that animals that usually love the open field are very unhappy. We added a jenny to our pasture to help with coyotes. She came to us totally afraid of humans so we have been working with her also. In addition to our usual chores.
November was very busy, my hubby and I both share a birthday in November along with one of our boys, my brother and both of my sister-in-laws. There is Thanksgiving to consider too. We did just as usual, had my hubs family over on a Sunday afternoon and Thanksgiving lunch at my parents.
We have had a terrible stomach bug that has been passed through just about everyone in the house and we are saying prayers of praise for those who have not had it. Hosted a Ladies Cookie Swap here last Saturday too. I know there are no pictures for todays post, but I will try to get some on here of what our decorated farm home looks like for Christmas. I do love to decorate for the holidays so I would like to share that with you.
My garden is filled.....with hay and cow manure. There are no veggies left now. We plowed up the last and it has become the catch area for all things stinky till spring. LOL!!! It makes for great fertilizer and helps put back some of the natural nutrients needed for good veggies next summer. I am continuing to milk my goat till February then I will freshen both of my dairy goats at the same time to minimize having to take care of kids on and off. I enjoy babies, but you never know what will happen with them. Hoping my newest girl will be a good first-time momma.
Well, I am listening to thunder.....that is right folks, thunder....in Tennessee, in December. It seems an appropriate time to get in bed and enjoy the sounds of rain on the windows and thunder in the distance. It is a heavenly sound that reminds me of spring and flowers bouncing back to life after a cold winter. But, the reality is spring is far away and so are the beautiful colors it brings. SO off to dream of a warmer, less rainy time creeping months away from now.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Where Did September Go????
I have to say SORRY.....I have no idea where September went. I was so very busy harvesting, taking care of animals, getting ready for 2 trips, I just did not have the time to write. I do have to admit that my computer went on the blink for about 3 weeks and I did not have a back-up plan, and mysteriously one day I turned it on and it fixed itself...(Isn't that scary?) I was overjoyed to have it back and not to have to spend a penny having it repaired. Thank you Lord, You are so good to me.
Well, are you dying to know what has kept me busy. Homesteading of course. Let me just tell you, it IS a full time job. The rewards far outweigh the trials and pains you encounter on a day to day basis, but this is NOT for the faint of heart. I have harvested so many pounds of peppers that I have lost track of how many bags I have in the freezer. They will come in handy for pizza, making salsa, spaghetti and chili in the (hopefully) cold winter to come. I gathered probably the most beautiful bunch today. These are just my bell peppers and sweet bananas, the jalapenos I will get tomorrow, I plan on making some salsa tomorrow and want them fresh from the garden. With a lot of luck, they will bloom and continue growing till frost. My plants were hardy through all the rainy summer we had, and look better and stronger everyday.
I am continuing to pick the largest peppers and leave the smaller ones to grow and by doing this once a week, they are having time to grow really large. We have stuffed so many, I think my hubby is growing tired of them. So the question arises, "What to do with all these peppers?" Well I am a southern girl and southern girls like cheese...now....some of you are wondering what cheese has to do with peppers. I remembered a Christmas party I went to last year and there was a block of cream cheese on a platter with this green stuff running all over it. I tried to stay away from it cause it looked....well....not as beautiful as the other dishes, however, it was flying off the platter very quickly and I decided I must try this before it disappears and leaves me regretful. It was this creamy, cool, sweetness with a flash of spice, the yummiest I have ever had on a cracker. I was in love!!! So now armed to the brim with loads of peppers, I knew I MUST have pepper jelly for this years party appearances. You absolutely have to know, it does not smell good, nor taste that good while cooking..(this is free advice)..but the product you come away with is outstanding poured over cream cheese and served with crackers.
Enough about peppers, what else has been going on. Well, sadly we sold two of our beef calves. Winter is coming, that means less grass for the ones we will be eating ourselves. We have kept one for next years beef and one for the following. We will pray God provides replacements for what we will consume. I just want to be honest, next winter can wait as long as it likes, it will be sad when Brown Cow goes.
The ladies have been slowing down on production, I cannot tell you how I hate having to feed 25 hens and get 2-5 eggs a day. Some of those ladies have seen their last summer. In the meantime, we are trying to cook the eggs while we have them cause I do realize that soon enough they will stop laying when they all enter molt...ugh.
The goats have been well, which is a blessing in itself. Geez it is hard to keep them happy and healthy. I wish we had acres upon acres of pasture, but it is acres and acres of woods. I do enjoy it and am blessed, but we have 2 choices, clear out some more land, or move them in the front yard (Guess which one I refuse to do..LOL).
I have truly enjoyed the last few weeks we FINALLY took a family vacation 3 weeks back. It was so enjoyable to not have to worry about the farm. I have, with out a doubt, the best friend who took care of my girls while I was absent and milked for me. We went to see several shows while on our trip, which is something we usually cannot do with a family of 7. We just planned out our trip differently this year so we could take advantage of some discounts. I also took a day trip with some good friends and just got back last week from a relaxing weekend with 8 sweet ladies. Break is over until next year, with Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching. It was so sweet to just enjoy being....I love the mountains, I love to ride through with the windows rolled down and the crisp smell of autumn in the air. It is a sensation I will never get over, and I try to relive as often as I can. I want my kids to appreciate it, the beauty God has created around us, the smells, the colors, the sounds.
The sounds....I hear them outside now, with their dad, enjoying precious time together making a campfire and setting up their tents. Just like heaven to them. It is such a fun, innocent moment in their lives, and a great way to spend Friday night. Then reality hits and the door opens, and there stands hubby with our littlest screaming (he obviously does not care that he is keeping everyone up talking) and now has been ousted from the party outside. So to the tub for a scrub and a cup of juice to make everything better. He will be glad he slept in his own bed tonight.
Well, are you dying to know what has kept me busy. Homesteading of course. Let me just tell you, it IS a full time job. The rewards far outweigh the trials and pains you encounter on a day to day basis, but this is NOT for the faint of heart. I have harvested so many pounds of peppers that I have lost track of how many bags I have in the freezer. They will come in handy for pizza, making salsa, spaghetti and chili in the (hopefully) cold winter to come. I gathered probably the most beautiful bunch today. These are just my bell peppers and sweet bananas, the jalapenos I will get tomorrow, I plan on making some salsa tomorrow and want them fresh from the garden. With a lot of luck, they will bloom and continue growing till frost. My plants were hardy through all the rainy summer we had, and look better and stronger everyday.
The ladies have been slowing down on production, I cannot tell you how I hate having to feed 25 hens and get 2-5 eggs a day. Some of those ladies have seen their last summer. In the meantime, we are trying to cook the eggs while we have them cause I do realize that soon enough they will stop laying when they all enter molt...ugh.
The goats have been well, which is a blessing in itself. Geez it is hard to keep them happy and healthy. I wish we had acres upon acres of pasture, but it is acres and acres of woods. I do enjoy it and am blessed, but we have 2 choices, clear out some more land, or move them in the front yard (Guess which one I refuse to do..LOL).
I have truly enjoyed the last few weeks we FINALLY took a family vacation 3 weeks back. It was so enjoyable to not have to worry about the farm. I have, with out a doubt, the best friend who took care of my girls while I was absent and milked for me. We went to see several shows while on our trip, which is something we usually cannot do with a family of 7. We just planned out our trip differently this year so we could take advantage of some discounts. I also took a day trip with some good friends and just got back last week from a relaxing weekend with 8 sweet ladies. Break is over until next year, with Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching. It was so sweet to just enjoy being....I love the mountains, I love to ride through with the windows rolled down and the crisp smell of autumn in the air. It is a sensation I will never get over, and I try to relive as often as I can. I want my kids to appreciate it, the beauty God has created around us, the smells, the colors, the sounds.
The sounds....I hear them outside now, with their dad, enjoying precious time together making a campfire and setting up their tents. Just like heaven to them. It is such a fun, innocent moment in their lives, and a great way to spend Friday night. Then reality hits and the door opens, and there stands hubby with our littlest screaming (he obviously does not care that he is keeping everyone up talking) and now has been ousted from the party outside. So to the tub for a scrub and a cup of juice to make everything better. He will be glad he slept in his own bed tonight.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Making Goat Milk Cheese
This weekend was very busy. I am trying to do so many things to get caught up so I can get into the fall spirit. I would just love to walk into my kitchen and it not be a mess of canning jars, buckets of apples, and puzzle pieces (courtesy of my three year old). I have visions of a beautiful walnut table with a center piece of fresh cut Limelight hydrangeas in the middle, instead of piles of homeschool books and supplies. I wish my floors were shiny instead of streaked with mud and standing water from the kids running in and out of the house from the barn and pool. I do realize that would mean my kids would not get to fully enjoy living on a farm to do that, and I want them to enjoy every minute!
I wanted to do something productive yesterday and in the middle of the mess, I somehow came to the conclusion that making cheese was just that thing. We have been milking our goat, Bernice, for about 2 months now. She gives about 3/4 to a half gallon of milk a day. I had some extra and had been eying a video on youtube of a farmer making it with only apple cider vinegar. I figure I can't go wrong with that and it does not cost a thing, since I had everything on hand.
I started by putting a half gallon of milk in a heavy sauce pot and heating it to the boiling point, to which I then add a 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and the milk began to curd. I was half way to making my first batch of homemade cheese and had not spoiled a thing yet...YEAH!!! I turned off the heat and continued to stir until it did not curd any more. I poured my curd and whey mixture into a dish towel over a strainer and a large stock pot.
I just have to say that owing my own milking goat has been a investment totally worth it. We have already recouped what we paid for her in calf milk replacer and at least 6 to 8 gallons of milk over the last few weeks. In the afternoon and early morning when I am out milking and everything is quiet it is just a moment of silence that can make your day perfect. There is time to think. You can talk to the Lord while you milk and no one bothers you...... for just a moment. But then you go in the house to eat your crackers and cheese and then remember, the reality is 2 children under the age of 6 ate a whole box of crackers in one sitting. What can you do but just smile and go on with your day.
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